Pakistan NSA resigns amid reports of differences with caretaker PM

Nasser Janjua, the former chief of southern command, was appointed as NSA during ousted PM Nawaz Sharif's tenure in October 2015 with a status of minister of state.

Pic courtesy: ANI

Islamabad: Pakistan's National Security Advisor Lt Gen (retd) Nasser Janjua resigned on Wednesday, amid reports that he had differences with caretaker Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk.

Janjua's resignation was accepted by Prime Minister Mulk, according to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division.

The former chief of southern command was appointed as NSA during ousted PM Nawaz Sharif's tenure in October 2015 with a status of minister of state. He had replaced Sartaj Aziz who was holding dual posts as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs as well as NSA.

Though the reason for Janjua's exit is not yet known, sources in the government said the NSA was not feeling comfortable with the caretaker government led by former chief justice Mulk, Dawn reported.

His replacement has not been announced so far but the resignation coincided with the induction of retired Lt Gen Khalid Naeem Lodhi in the Cabinet.

Janjua had played important role in building trust with Afghanistan and instituting a bilateral peace process earlier this year.

He also worked on 'Azm-i-Nau', a military preparedness exercise with particular focus on India. In December 2017, the then premier, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, had tasked Janjua to present the national security policy, the paper said.

Janjua was the second military official to hold the post after Major General (retd.) Mehmood Durrani who was NSA during an earlier Pakistan Peoples' Party government.

On June 22, the caretaker premier had removed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Marvi Memon as the chairperson of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), according to media reports.

According to sources, the interim government took the decision over criticism from different political quarters for not replacing a PML-N nominee.